Amit Shah reshuffles BJP frontline, gives responsiblity of key states to his confidants

NEW DELHI: BJP President Amit Shah has entrusted responsibility of politically key states to his close confidants-including Bhupendra Yadav, Avinash Rai Khanna, Anil Jain, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Shyam Jhaju, Saroj Pande and Murlidhar Rao- in the party structure in the new list announced on Friday
Party general secretary Bhupendra Yadav will continue to be incharge of Bihar which goes to polls in a few months. He will also be incharge of BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha. He has performed well in his past responsibilities in Rajasthan and Jharkhand Assembly polls as well as the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Vice-president Khanna has been given additional responsibility of Rajasthan and J&K. Rao, a general secretary, will be incharge of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu- where Assembly polls are due in 2016- as well Yuva Morcha or the youth wing of BJP. Saroj Pande- who became a general secretary after losing the Lok Sabha elections- will be incharge of Maharashtra.

Vijayvargiya has been given charge of West Bengal where BJP is trying to increase its political footprints and replace the Left parties as the main opponent of TMC.

BJP Vice-president Om Mathur’s team in UP —which was placed under him after the Maharashtra elections last year — has been strengthened with five co-incharges. Elections are due in the state in 2017 and BJP is hopeful of reaping a good electoral harvest there.

Under Shah, BJP has created a new OBC Morcha — ostensibly to win support of the crucial backward and extremely backward castes in states like Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu and other states. Baghel has been made President of the Morcha while Sudha Yadav will be incharge of the Front.